Caster



(No Model.)

S. O. MENDENHALL.

.OASTEIL Patentd Mar. 31, 18 85.

FIGJ.

STATES ATENT @FFICE.

STEPHEN C. MENDENI-IALL, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ?atent No. 314,949. dated March31, 1885.

Application filed August 22, 188-1. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN O. Manner:- HALL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Richmond, ayne county Indiana, (present businessaddress Gincinnati,in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,) haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Furniture-Casters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to stemcasters; audit consists in apeculiar method of constructing a chamber for loose horizontalanti-friction rollers and in the means for holding the parts of suchchamber and consequently the rollers therein contained together.

The socket or pod of my improved caster has at bottom a flange fromwhich a rim projects downwardly. The upper part of the fork or saddle isflattened into the form of a circular disk of such size as to fitloosely within the socketrim, and horizontal anti-friction rollers restupon and are carried by the said circular disk. The spindle,which isfixed to the saddle,passes centrally between the anti friction rollers,thus having free horizontal bearing. The spindle is held in place andthe several parts of the caster thus held together by a screw, pin, orequivalent projection in the pod or socket entering an annular groove inthe spindle.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will proceedto describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which IFigure I is a perspective view of my improved caster. Fig. II is avertical sectional view of the same. Fig. III is a side elevation of thesaddle, floor-wheel, and spindle. Fig. IV is an under side view of thesocket-plate, showing the anti-friction rollers.

The shell top or socket of my improved caster may consist of cast-ironor other cast metal, and has the customary tubular portion or stem A tooccupy the orifice in the foot of the piece of furniture. The socket Ais provided below with flange B,carrying on its under side a rim, 0,forming a cup. The socket is attached to the furniture-leg by screwspassing through the countersunk holes (1, provided therefor in theflange B. The floor-wheel J is supported in a yoke or saddle, G, incustomary manner, and the top of said saddle is flattened out in theform of a circular disk, as shown at D. The upper face of the disk D ismade perfectly smooth, and the horizontal anti-friction rollers I arelaid thereon. The spindle F is formed integrally with the saddle, andarranged to pass centrally between the rollers I, the shouldered portionf of the spindle finding thus horizontal bearing against said rollers.The rollers I are without trunnions or bearings. They move freely withthe saddle and spindle,and are of a diameter equal to the width of theannular chamber formed between the spindle and the rim 0, so as toprevent any loose motion of the spindle. For convenience ofrepresentation, the rollers are shown in Fig. IV of somewhat less thanproper diameter. It will be seen that when the spindle is placed in thesocket the disk D and rim or cup 0 will retain the rollers in place, and

all the parts are then secured together by a screw, pin, or otherprojection, E, entering an annular groove,e,in the spindle. In a spindleof this construction all vertical strain is transmitted to the spindlethrough its conical top f, between which and the socket there can belittle friction, and the strain upon the rollers I is horizontal only.There is no possibility of the rollers being so jammed together as toprevent the spindle from moving freely.

Great economy and simplicity in the male ing of a non-separating casteris effected by having the roller-supporting disk formed integrally withthe saddle so that the whole device is held together by a single screwor pin.

I am aware that it has before been proposed to employ loose verticalanti-friction rolls supported within a rim of the furniture attachmentby a housing or saddle, which rolls have been employed for equalizingthe vertical strain on the caster.

I am aware also thatit has before been pro posed to take up verticalstrain on a caster by means of anti-friction balls inserted between thetop plate and saddle.

I am also aware that horizontal rolls having fixed axles have beenplaced in a chamber in the furniture-top for taking up lateral strain ofthe spindle.

I am also aware that it is not broadly new to use a stud or pin forretaining the spindle in the socket of a non-separating caster.

That which it is desired to claim in the pres ent application is such acombination of these various elements as shall produce a neat and simplenon-separating casterin which all vertical strain of the furniture issupported di- 5 rectly upon the top of the spindle,while lateral strainis taken up by loose anti-friction rolls supported by a disk on thespindle.

Having thus described my invention, the following is What I claim as newtherein and I0 desire to secure by Letters Patent:

Ina caster for furniture and other purposes, the combination, with asocket or stem having a circular flange, B, at bottom, screw-holes anear the margin ofsaid flange, adownwardlyc5 projecting circular rimupon said flange in-

